Loading hatch for freight cars



Aug. 25, 1964 s. c. HAMILTON 3,145,665

LOADING HATCH FOR FREIGHT CARS Filed July 25; 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FlG. 3.

FIG. 2.

BY 7% ATTORNEY 25 1964 s. c. HAMILTQN 9 Aug. LOADING HATCH FOR FREIGHT CARS t 2 3 Sheets-Shea Filed July 25, 1961 Aug. 25, 1964 Filed July 25, 1961 FIG.9.

s. c. HAMlLTON LOADING HATCH FOR FREIGHT CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l SAMUEL C .HAMILTON INVENTOR United States Patent 3,145,665 LOADING HATCH FOR FREIGHT CARS Samuel C. Hamilton, Clifton, N.J., assignor to Magor Car Corporation, Clifton, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 25, 1961, Ser. No. 126,605 1 Claim. (Cl. 105377) This invention relates to railway cars of the group or type known as house cars, which include box cars and similar freight cars, as well as covered hopper cars.

Heretofore, it has been the general practice to load cars of the type above referred to through a plurality of hatch doors arranged at spaced locations along the car roof. Where granular or relatively comminuted materials are loaded at each hatch opening, the material builds up in a series of cones, which must be manually dispersed or distributed with consequent additional labor and expense during and after each loading operation adequately to fill out the cargo space.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide cars of the type set forth with a continuous completely unobstructed hatchway extending centrally throughout the full length of the roof of the car so that the car may be filled While moving beneath a filler spout, or alternatively the spout may be moved continuously back and forth relative to the car, the discharge end of the spout extending below the level of the roof line. This hatchway is covered by a series of longitudinally aligned cover, which, in this closed position, support the usual running board or walkway, and, which when moved to fully open position serve as a platform for workmen having acts to perform during the loading operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a series of hatch covers which are hinged at one edge for opening to provide access to the car while the free edge is provided with means for locking the same in place and to also receive the customary freight seal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a special crosswise joint closure between each adjacent short edge of the hinged sections which will serve as a weatherproof Seal at the j nct o ea h se i n.-

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for supporting the root. In providing a continuous longitudinal hatchway centrally of the roof, the effect is substantially that of removing the keystone of an arch. Therefore, special roof construction is required to support the roof, which in turn supports the hinged covers.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed,

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is atop plan view of a freight car illustrating the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevation of the car shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial end elevation of the car shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the roof portion of a car illustrating the hatchway on a larger scale.

FIGURE 5 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a detail top plan view of the lock for the cover sections at places other than where the sections oin.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the construction shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7, at right angles to the latter.

3,145,665 Patented Aug. 25, 1964 FIGURE 9 is a detail top plan of the special seal used between adjacent sections of the hatch cover.

FIGURE 10 is a vertical sectional view of the construction shown in FIGURE 9, showing one of the hatch covers open in dotted lines, and further illustrating the means for locking the cover-joint sealing means shown in FIG- URE 9.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged, detail sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of FIGURE 10,

FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 1212 of FIGURE 10.

Referring first to FIGURES 1-4 of the drawings, it will be observed that the freight car designated generally as A is permanently provided with a divided fixed roof structure B defining a continuous completely unobstructed longitudinally disposed hatchway designed generally as H. This hatchway is closed by a series of elongated longitudinally aligned cover sections C which may be opened individually or all at one time for access to the cargo space of the vehicle.

The Hatchway and Covers As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the roof structure B generally includes a series of roof plates 1 supported at their outer ends on the sides 2 of the car body while their inner surfaces are supported by a series of reinforcing ribs 3 in more or less standard fashion, while the angles 4 define the bottom or lower width of the hatchway. These angles support the upwardly and inwardly inclined hatch wall-forming members 5 whose opposite inner edges define the continuous unobstructed hatchway opening upon which each cover C rests when it is closed.

Since all of the cover sections are substantially the same in all essential particulars, a description of one will suffice for the others. For example, each section C is provided along one edge with one leaf 6 of a hinge whose other leaf 7 is mounted on the roof plates 1. The hinge leaves 6 and 7 are connected by a related pintle 8 or alternatively they may be all connected by a continuous torsion bar which would tend to normally ease the weight of the cover sec: tion as it is moved from the open dotted line position shown in FIGURE 4 to the closed position also shown in that figure. In the latter case, it may rest upon a suitable stop such as a rubber bumper C and, whereby, when the cover sections are aligned in open position, the inner faces thereof will serve as a walkway.

Suitable gasket means C may be provided at each edge of the hatchway for cooperation with the covers to seal the hatchway from the weather.

The permanent roof structure is supported by the uprights 9 carried by the cross members 10 disposed well below the hatchway H entrance to provide ample clearance for the loading spout or slinger to move continuously and without removal during the loading operation to avoid the formation of material cones and hand distribution. The lateral spacing of the members 9 is equal substantially to the width of the hatchway H. As will be seen from FIGURE 5, the tear drop or similar cross-section of the members 10 avoids accumulation of material on the upper edges thereof.

Cover Section Locks At the edge of each section C opposite the hinges 6, 7, 8, each cover section is provided with one or more locks designated generally as L in FIGURES 1 and 2, and shown more in detail in FIGURES 6, 7, and 8.

As will be seen from the above figures, the cover section C is provided with an arm 12 having an opening 13 to receive the hook 14 fixed on a rockable latch member 15. This latch member is of substantially V-shape formation, and as shown in FIGURE 8, has wings 15 and 15 with a hinge pintle 16 mounted in the crotch of the V and whose opposite ends rotate in perforated ears 17 carried by plate 18. Thus, the pivoted latch member presents opposite wing portions upon which a trainman may exert foot pressure. When pressure is applied to the Wing of the latch member, the hook 14 is rocked into the eye 13,. and, on the other hand, when the leaf 15 is depressed, the hook will be released.

As shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, the tail 14 has an opening 14 intended to register with an opening 14 in a locking lug 19 so that the usual trainmans wire and seal may be placed in the registering holes when the hook 14 of the latch secures the cover section in position.

Cover Joint Seal Since there will be a number of aligned cover sections C, a special seal must be provided between the abutting edges of each cover.

As will be seen more especially from FIGURES 11 and 12, the seal primarily consists of a T-section 20 whose flange 21 constitutes the exposed face of the seal and whose web 22 is provided with a rubber or equivalent sealing member 23 having bottom flanges 24 which span or straddle the space adjacent abutting ends of the cover sections C.

Referring to FIGURE 12, it will be seen that the horizontal flange 21 of the T-section is secured to inner knuckle members 25 at the location of the hinge pin 8 mounted in plates 26 carried by the roof 1 of the car.

In addition, pin 8 supports the outer ends of members 27 which span and are aflixed to the abutting ends of the cover sections C. Pin 8 is aligned with pintle 8 of the hinges for each cover section. Thus, pin 8 serves as the hinge point for both cover sections and cover joint seal.

The end of each sealing member opposite the hinge is provided with a locking arm 29 having an opening for receiving a hook 30 of a locking member of the same type as 14-19 previously described and shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.

With further reference to standard freight car procedure, it will be seen from the drawings that the hinged cover sections will not in any way interfere with the normal running board or walkway W provided on all freight cars for trainmen to walk upon when moving from car to car. This running board will terminate at the location of each hinged sealing element, and may be permanently or detachably mounted.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that the present invention provides a construction conforming to A. A. R. standards and includes a continuous longitudinal hatchway H which may be opened and closed through the manipulation of a series of aligned cover sections for compartmental loading and each of which are hinged in a practical and effective manner to close the hatchway and be locked in place. Also, where the abutting edges of the cover sections provide a joint, a seal is provided which may be locked in place after the same general fashion as the individual cover sections. In addition, the invention provides: means for loading bulk materials; fully utilizing the volume of the car by allowing optimum distribution of lading; the elimination of voids between piles of lading which occur when individual hatches are used; allows filling in one continuous operation from end to end; permits ease of inspection for full length of car; reduces the number of seals and locking operations; and provides safe running boards or walkways from end to end of roof, whether hatches are open or closed.

I claim:

A freight car, including, in combination,

fixed side Walls,

a permanent roof structure comprising,

a series of roof plates supported by reinforcing ribs, said plates and ribs secured at their outer ends directly to said side walls,

inwardly and upwardly inclined converging walls constituting a part of said permanent roof structure and spaced to provide a central medial longitudinally disposed unobstructed hatchway extending substantially throughout said permanent roof from one end to the other,

cross members spaced beneath the roof structure and hatchway and having their outer ends secured directly to the side walls below said ribs,

laterally spaced upright members for each cross member and having their lower ends supported thereon,

said upright members also having their upper ends disposed in supporting relation to and beneath the lower portions of said converging walls,

cover means for said hatchway,

said cover means including aligned sections with gaps between the transverse ends thereof,

a seal pivotally connected at one end to said roof plates and including a T-section Whose flange constitutes the .exposed face of the seal and whose web is provided with a flexible member to span said gap between said adjacent sections,

and means at the free end of the seal opposite its pivotal connection of the roof to secure the free end to the roof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 886,472 Brown May 5, 1908 1,269,431 Guthrie June 11, 1918 1,881,451 Francke Oct. 11, 1932 1,917,167 Tucke July 4, 1933 2,575,565 Schwalbe Nov. 20, 1951 2,835,211 Abel May 20, 1958 2,970,347 Massopust Feb. 7, 1961 3,008,759 Stiefel Nov. 14, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 829,473 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1960 

